This Pentecost Sunday is a strange day, even stranger than our present usual strange days. This is because our readings are full of gatherings, something denied to us at this time; the gathering of many people to hear the Word of God in their own tongue, the gathering each of
Ascension
I will be preaching tomorrow so I thought I would share a poem for Ascension. No shouts of joy were heard on Olivet. No trumpets fanfared Risen One’s adieu. His friends stood trembling, wondering where He was, And rushed in terror, locked and barred the door. Ascension Day in context,
Laudato Si
Laudato Si’ Week 5th Anniversary – 16-24 May 2020 This year is the 5th Anniversary of Laudato Si’. Laudato Si’ tells us that “everything is connected” and tragically, the current health catastrophe has much in common with the ecological catastrophe. Both are global emergencies that will affect many people, both directly and indirectly. Despite
Sixth Sunday of Easter
When I look through the readings on any given day, there is always a word, or a phrase, in each reading which pops out at me and starts a thought process, seemingly at random. And it’s these ‘random’ thoughts that I’d like to share with you today. Our first reading,
Fifth Sunday of Easter
A few days ago I saw two cartoons which made me smile. The first was a little boy asking his mum ‘Am I adopted’ and the frayed mum, after weeks of home schooling, saying ‘I doubt it, I only put the advert in yesterday’. And the other is the same
Fourth Sunday of Easter
Today, the 4th Sunday of Easter, is also designated ‘world day of prayer for vocations’, and we’re encouraged to remember in our prayers those who have followed their call to vocation, most obviously priests, deacons and religious, as well as those presently discerning God’s call to them. Of course, it’s
Pastoral Message from Bishop Mark
Pastoral Message to the Diocese: “Let us be like Christ the Servant” Dear friends, You will recall when I wrote before Easter, that I described this period we are living through as “a long Good Friday”. That is still so true, in so many ways. I have also been struck,
Third Sunday of Easter
Perhaps one of the most well known of the Resurrection appearances. Cleopas and the other disciple, fleeing from Jerusalem at the very first opportunity, suddenly meet a stranger who enters into conversation with them and opens out their shattered and depressed minds to new possibilities. Together, they reflect on the